Let's Say I Owe You One
by FlamingRose11
Summary: Damon/Katherine pairing. reflections on the last few episodes of season 2. some AU. okay a lot. their relationship isn't romantic. at least it didn't start that way. it wasn't even really emotional. it just started as an exchange of favors.
1. Bury Me Alive We Are the Fallen

**SO the dynamic between Katherine and Damon intrigues me, and with a lot of growing on both ends, they could do some wonderful things :) that is why i am writing this. I hope you guys enjoy it! do review and let me know what you think :) - FlamingRose**

"I've heard about you, the crazy impulsive vampire," said Klaus. I know eavesdropping will get me in trouble, but I don't give a shit. It could provide valuable information.

"It was all me. Go ahead and kill me." I heard Damon say. I peek out from my hiding spot and catch a glimpse of his face. Resolute and determined, he seems unstoppable, like he could take on the world. This is what love did to him. Well, sort of. He loves Elena, that is what he says, and maybe if I hadn't been so preoccupied with looking out for myself I could be as strong as him; tempting and mocking death, but never coming too close to it. I Realize I've been missing an ally, and I mentally kick myself for it.

I don't know what happens next. I hide instead. All I know is Klaus is up to his malicious games, and Damon is on the floor when I come out of hiding. Klaus is bent over his unconscious form inspecting his new found goods. I come out timidly and slowly. He sighs with a bored drawl. He doesn't like what he sees.

"Damaged goods," I hear him mutter as he looks at Damon's arm with disgust. I bend down to see some sort of deformity. I haven't seen a wound last like that before, all deformed and moving as if it were alive, corroding through skin as hard as stone.

"He's as good as dead," he says, dropping the limp arm on the floor, "It seems I'm in the need of a vampire. Come Katerina," he croons lecherously to me, "it's time to call _dear_ Aunt Jenna." I hesitate and look down at the unconscious form beside me. I have to help him.

"Come on, you'll have plenty of time to look at a rotting vampire later. Right now I need you to _make that phone call_." I can't refuse. If I refuse I am as good as dead, and what use am I to Damon if I am dead? Plus, I don't want to die. I had been escaping such a thing for hundreds of years. There was no stopping now. I picked up the phone and dialed.

I'm still not sure what I said. All I know is Klaus liked it and was satisfied. That was good enough for me.

"Remember not to lee-eave!" he taunts as he walks out the door. I hear a cross between a growl and a deep sensual laugh as he closes the door. I wait till I hear him leave through the front door before I run to Damon's side. I kneel down to look deeply into his hard, cold face. He doesn't seem to be responsive on his own. I try shaking him to see if he'll wake up. Nothing. He doesn't look good. He's not strong enough. He needs blood. I scrounge the refrigerator. Somehow I find a bag I hadn't discovered when I looked the last time. I stand there, the bag in my hand contemplating whether or not to drink it. I _am_ really hungry….but Damon's not waking up. He needs it more than I do, and right now, he's the only one who can help me. I rush back to him putting the blood bag to his lips. I guide the blood into his mouth.

_Please wake up, please wake up Damon. Damon! Please! Wake up! Damon! Hey! _

"_Damon, wake up!" _I slap him on the face. Maybe that will get him conscious.

I hadn't noticed I had been saying my thoughts out loud until I heard a groan and he stirred beneath my hand.

"What happened?" he groaned.

"Klaus is gone. He went to go perform the ritual. I'm sorry, but I had to do what he said. He would have known I was on vervain if I didn't do it," I blurted out. Well if that wasn't self- incriminating then I don't know what is.

"Made you do what?" he muttered as he got up slowly from the floor.

"Klaus!" I whispered violently, "he needed me to call her and to lure her out. He needed another vampire!" His eyes cleared up. He seemed to be getting the gist of what I was saying, and he didn't look happy.

"Who did you call?" he asked. I suddenly lost my nerve. He was angry. So? You've seen Damon angry before! It never affected you then. But this time it's different. Before he loved me. Now it doesn't matter whether I live or die. He grabbed her arm and shook her out of her thoughts.

"Who did you call Katherine?" he asked more forcefully.

"Jenna," I whispered as I looked down at the floor. His eyes stopped searching my face and focused in on the floor. His hand dropped.

"No, dammit no!" he said in frustration, "He was supposed to use me…Why didn't he use me?" He rushed to stand up leaving me crouched in place.

"He couldn't!" I say as I stand up to face him, "he said you were as good as dead."

"What does that even mean?" he said loudly as if it were head game.

"What does it mean?" I repeat. The wheels stared turning in my head. The wound, the ritual, something about it kept Klaus from using him. If the mystery wound could be ciphered we could solve this.

"What is this Damon?" I say to him bringing up his arm demanding for an explanation as to why on earth this wound wouldn't heal. His eyes met the wound and recognition crossed his face. It looked like the expression one wears whenever they know they are staring death straight in the face.

"Werewolf bite," he muttered. My eyes snap up to his face. It was worse than I could have imagined. Werewolf bite? But that couldn't be. I search his face to find some hint that he was joking, he was lying, something to tell me what was on his arm was harmless, but when his penetrating eyes met mine, there was no such trace. This was harsh, cruel reality, and it bites. Literally.


	2. O Children Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

**Here is another chapter for you guys! to you who reviewed thank you! and to all who favorited and all who are following my story now i thank you as well. so as your reward you get chapter two. :) I hope you guys enjoy it! do review and let me know what you think :) - FlamingRose**

**P.S. IF YOU CHECK THE CHAPTER TITLES, THEY ARE THE TITLES OF THE SONGS THAT INSPIRED THAT CHAPTER. HOPE YOU CHEKC THEM OUT. THEY ARE ALL PRETTY GOOD TUNES. :) **

"Werewolf bite?" I repeated, a little unsteady on my feet. "Shit," I muttered stumbling backwards. He went to sit at the counter, brooding, and staring at his death wish. I went to sit beside him leaning forward to get a good look at the bite that was quickly spreading along his arm.

"So," I said, getting over the shock, "that's a werewolf bite huh?"

"Yup," he said curtly. He traced the lines in his arms. They had become more definite and darker because of the venom.

"It doesn't look too bad," I tried lamely. He gave me a look, and that was all it took.

"Sorry," I said, "not helping." But I wished I could. Sure I was selfish, but when I seemed to be in good shape, I still allowed my humanity to come out every once in a while. I watched his face; determined, focused, obsessive, Damon. Sure, it had been 164 years, and he had proven himself changed, but I knew him still. He was obsessing over it. Soon it would swallow him whole and possess him. In impulse I reached out and placed two gentle hands on his arm. It was hot, feverish, but I ignored the heat as I stood up bringing him closer in the process. I slowly and carefully pulled his sleeve over the wound to hide it from view.

"Stop dwelling on it," I said firmly, "it won't help any." I looked up at him keeping my eyes trained on his, and his face inches from mine, his eyes returning my gaze. For a millisecond I felt my defenses slipping, but I immediately picked them back up. If he even sensed a bit of weakness in me, he wouldn't hesitate to take advantage of it.

"Since when did you care so much Katherine?" he said in a low and quiet voice, his eyes daring me to answer. I looked away and to the floor, my hands still on his arm. He pulled away and pushed past me. I shook my head and reminded myself that he was right. I never cared. I shouldn't start now.

"What are you going to do?" I asked him.

"I don't know Katherine, I don't always have the ideas," he snapped obviously irritated, "my last few didn't work anyways."

"Well, they sort of worked," I said, an eyebrow quirked, "you saved that blonde and the Lockwood mutt. I bet they're thankful." He turned to look at me, a new sort of tint to his eyes.

"What do you want Katherine?" he asked advancing towards me. For every step he took forward I took one back.

"Nothing!" I said, "I was just trying to help!" I blurted. Damn. I really needed to watch myself around him. He didn't buy my honesty. Instead he laughed.

"Help? You don't help people Katherine," he said almost condescendingly, "you use them to help yourself. Now do me a favor and stop being so human. Why don't you be the monster you really are?" Anger surged through me. In milliseconds my hands were wrapped around his throat and he was against the wall. My nose nearly touched his, but intimacy was the last thing on my mind.

"This monster? Is this what you want?" I growled. He didn't flinch. He just stood there. I tightened my grip for a second before tossing him to the ground.

"Get out of here Damon," I said turning my back to him, "if you're not gone by the time Klaus or one of his followers comes back, a wolf bite is the least of your worries."

"Why are you doing this?" he asks me, demanding in his tone. When I didn't answer he continued.

"You give me blood, you get me out of whatever state I was in, you tell me what to look out for, you try to sooth my mind. You try to save me. I don't get it. Why? Why do you care?"

"You gave me the vervain," I say evenly, "let's say I owe you one. Now leave." He didn't move. I felt the blood rush to my eyes, my veins swelling, and my fangs emerging.

"_Get out_!" I growled. I charged at him until his defenses kicked in as he took flight through the door. I stopped at the threshold, held by compulsion and against my own will. I slammed the door shut, not waiting to watch his form disappear down the stairs. I went to the window and watched him fade into the night.

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	3. You Make Me Want To Die Pretty Reckless

**So here is chapter three. aaaand I would love reviews. no scratch taht. I need them. really, i would appreciate a bit of input from readers. thanks a bunch! like it? hate it? favorite part? let me know! enjoy! - FlamingRose**

**P.S. IF YOU CHECK THE CHAPTER TITLES, THEY ARE THE TITLES OF THE SONGS THAT INSPIRED THAT CHAPTER. HOPE YOU CHEKC THEM OUT. THEY ARE ALL PRETTY GOOD TUNES. :) **

Laying on the couch, pretending to sleep, only seeing Damon's eyes for some really annoying reason. It had been two days. He should be out of my head by now, but of course he's just going to stay there. Then again, I had never seen someone with such an earnest death wish as Damon. I needed Klaus dead. I needed out of this apartment. I needed a drink. I sauntered to the liquor cabinet and took out a glass and raided the cabinets for vodka. Score. I poured a glass and took a sip followed by a gulp.

"Who needs a glass?" I muttered to myself after a few full glasses. I giggled to myself as I tossed it over my shoulder, dancing to the music in my head as it shattered against the wall. The bottle of booze was attached to my lips as I twirled around in place getting dizzy. My head lolled from side to side. Thank goodness hangovers were for humans. I heard keys in the door and froze in place. Klaus was back. I hastily put away the alcohol and sat on the counter as innocently as possible.

Instead Stefan walked through the door. After looking at the glass strewn about one part of the floor he looked to me.

"Where's Klaus?"

"I make it my business not to know," I replied, "besides, if your plan worked, shouldn't he be dead?"

"That's a long story," he said dismissing the topic, "Damon's dying." As if I didn't know that. "I need a cure," He continued, "and I know Klaus has one."

"Who told you that?"

"The witches. They won't give it to me, but Emily told me Klaus has it. I want it. Damon has done a lot of things, but he's my brother, and I am not going to just sit by and watch him die." Leave it to Stefan to be the hero. At that moment Klaus walked in.

"Oh? What is this? Katerina? Why didn't you tell me we had a visitor?" he said as he drove a stake through Stefan.

"He's just trying to help his brother," I said, my voice nearly shaking as I watched him twist the weapon deeper. That seemed to work as he pulled out the wooden dagger and let Stefan drop to the floor.

"Give me the cure, and I will do anything you want." Was he asking for a death wish? Klaus smirked at such a proposal.

"Katerina," he called me over, "present your wrist." I tentatively did so and instantly regretted it. He bit into me, and I felt the venom inch along my arm. He cut into himself and fed me his blood. As one drop slipped down my throat the pain in my arm reduced. I drank quickly, hoping that this was the cure the witches had talked about. When he pulled away I checked my arm. The bite was gone and completely healed. He was the cure. Well that wouldn't feed his ego.

"I'll give you a vile of my blood for your brother, but first, drink this. All of it," Klaus commanded as he tossed a bag of blood to Stefan. People blood, not furry woodland creatures, but Homo Sapien Sapiens. I watched, terrified but intrigued. He began to drink. As he finished Klaus threw him another. And another. And another. He was making a monster out of him. It was scaring me. Not only was Klaus scaring me, but Stefan was scaring me. Finally Klaus approached me.

"Come dear," he said holding up the vile, "take this to Damon Salvatore."

"Are you telling me to leave?" I asked, nearly begging for my freedom. A twinkle of amusement passed his featured before he replied.

"Yes, I am." I ran out the door eager to leave the confines of his prison. I didn't stop running till I reached the boarding house. I let myself in and walked up the steps. I listened to the voices coming from upstairs. It was Damon and Elena.

"I love you," I heard him say. It reminded me of when he told me the same thing.

"You should have met me in 1864. You would have liked me." I know I had.

"I like you now. Just the way you are." Did she really, or was she just saying this because she thought he was dying? Either way, she felt for them both. It was obvious. No matter how many times they both told her she was nothing like me, they were wrong. She was just like me: forced to choose, but wanting both for herself. She may be generous with her life, but when it came to romance, she was as selfish as they thought I was. I walked into the doorway in time to see her kiss Damon softly on the mouth. A gift for the "afterlife". How sweet.

"Thank you," he said.

"You're welcome."

"Well it's me you should be thanking," I spoke up, "I mean, I'm the one who brought the cure." They both looked up obviously surprised to see me there. I took a glance at Elena, who had jumped off the bed when she noticed there was a witness.

"I thought you were dead," I said, letting my disdain for her drip off my tongue.

"I was," she replied, giving me that look of disapproval I knew too well. The self-righteous of every decade and every era would always have that trait in common. I drew my attention to Damon who looked like he was inches from death. I instinctively lengthened my strides to reach him quicker.

"You got free," he breathed.

"Yup," I replied as I gave him the elixir, "finally."

"And you still came here." I put my hand to his cheek and looked him in the eye.

"I owed you one." I held his gaze a little longer searching for something. I wasn't sure what I was looking for in his eyes, but I knew I didn't find it. After gently patting the side of his cheek affectionately, I stood up to leave.

"Where's Stefan?" self- righteous Elena asked.

"Are you sure you care?" I shot back at her.

"Where is he?" she repeated trying to look threatening. I nearly laughed at her efforts. I had been around for five hundred years. She was going to have to sprout fangs and grow a malicious heart along with a hankering for murder until she frightened me, and even then it would still be a challenge.

"He's paying for this," I said holding up the elixir, "He gave himself over to Klaus. I wouldn't expect him any time soon."

"What do you mean he gave himself over?" What? Was it not clear enough before? I swear this girl is not the brightest.

"I mean, he sacrificed everything to save his brother. Even you." I let it sink in. I knew she wouldn't like that news. I didn't care. So sue me. So call me a bitch. Bitchiness was, after all, my forte.

"Good thing you have Damon to keep you company. Goodbye Elena," I said sweetly as I tossed her the elixir.

"Oh, and it's okay to love them both," I told her. I looked at Damon, already recovering and caught his gaze. "I did." I took one last glance at Elena, and then Damon, and I made my way out of the house as fast as I could. Once outside I looked up at the house to the room where I knew Damon was sitting with Elena. I couldn't explain why, but for the first time in a long time, I wanted to die.

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